Walking in Two Worlds:
The Art of Jerry Brown

January 26–March 2, 2007

Artist Statement

I am Diné, from Mariano Lake, NM. I am born into the Edgewater People, for the Deer Spring Band. I state this because being Diné is who I am and I am proud of this, it is one of the many influences in my work.

I have been creating art for as long as I can remember. After high school, I had the opportunity to attend IAIA in Santa Fe, NM. In 1995 I graduated from IAIA with two AA degrees and a better understanding of the tools and techniques needed to create my art.

Following my graduation I moved back to Mariano Lake and spent five years living with my mother raising my nieces and nephews. I continued to create art when I had the time, but was not able to pursue being a studio artist again until 2000. In 2000 I began working as a high school art teacher in Thoreau, NM. While teaching the students to express themselves and their heritage in their work, I rediscovered my love of the creative process.

In 2001 I met and married my wife Jennifer. We moved to Minnesota and I was finally able to really devote my time and energy to the creative process. After returning to New Mexico I began to pursue a contract to complete a public art piece for the new Gallup McKinley County Courthouse. In June of 2006 I completed a 25 foot by 20 foot mural entitled “A Window” on the south side of the courthouse. The mural is created from glass and porcelain tile and is a representational landscape of the beauty surrounding Gallup.

My work is influence by many things. I am of course influenced by my Diné traditions and upbringing. I am influenced by the ceremonies I attend, the healing that takes place at these ceremonies. I am however more than Diné. I am a man that lives and works in two worlds, the Diné world and the modern world I encounter everyday. The colors, people, sites, smells, and sounds of both these worlds influence and inspire me.

I am pulled to create abstract work. As I create a piece it takes on a life of its own. I find that my daily life seeps into my abstract pieces. I start each piece by building the first layer which acts a as a base of color. I often work with modeling paste in that base to provided texture. When I work with modeling paste I am reminded the life is full of texture, depth, and feelings. I then apply layer upon layer in one corner and let the painting grow, come to life. The colors in the pieces reflect my emotions. The feelings I experienced in a ceremony, or felt at a beautiful sunset. I add paper and wood and leaves to provide texture and depth. Sometimes the piece comes together within hours some times weeks. In all cases, I know the piece is done when I can finally walk away and not feel pulled to add more layers.

In this show I am presenting pieces that represent the current direction of my work. In this show, I want the viewers to see that my abstract pieces are an extension of all things that influence me. I attend ceremonies and I paint. I go for a hike with my wife and I paint. I interact with my family and I paint. I witness a beautiful sunset and I paint. The canvas, paint, paper, wood are all used to provide a place for me to express and my feelings, emotions. Each piece in the show represents a moment, a feeling, a situation that influenced me.

—Jerry Brown

Curator's Statement and Paintings